CHAPTER 4
ATTRIBUTES OF A LEADER
What attributes does a leader need? What is it that made Noah, Abraham, Moses, Deborah, David, Nehemiah, Ester, Peter and Paul stand head and shoulders above the rest?
Looking at these biblical leaders:-
Noah, the ship-builder, Abraham living in a land of idol worshippers, Moses the exiled prince, David the shepherd, Ester the queen, Nehemiah the cupbearer, Peter the fisherman and Paul the scholar, nothing seems to connect them, they are all from different walks of life, each with a different upbringing, each with a different personality, each physically different, yet each one a leader.
The question arises, what was the reason for their success, what attributes made them achieve more than most as leaders? Why did they stand out when others, perhaps better looking like Absalom, or better groomed like Haman, or richer like Simon the magician, failed?
The first thing that each of those chosen by God did, was to listen. When He called, they answered. Certainly some of them hesitated, others complained, others were downright obstinate, yet each, in his own way obeyed the call:
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. (Acts. 9:5-6)
Paul, persecutor in chief of the newly founded Christian church, accepted the call and obeyed, never once wavering, listening and learning from those he once persecuted. Each of the biblical leaders mentioned was prepared to go all the way, to sacrifice everything, even to death, in obedience to their calling. Most people today see leaders as those privileged and ordained for the good life of giving orders to those below, and those below are seen as the down-trodden, as those who have no choice but to be obedient, but any good leader worth his salt will tell you that leadership begins with being obedient. Without obedience, be it to the brand, to the party, to the team, to the coach, leaders will not succeed. Obedience begins at the top.
Noah told to build an ark, devoted many years of his life to it, obedient to each set of instructions.
Abraham, told to leave his father’s house and journey to a foreign land, did so without hesitation.
Moses, after initial doubt and hesitation, threw his all into his calling to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
David, as a young shepherd boy was told to mind his father’s sheep, he was even prepared to kill lion and bear, in fulfilling his duty. Later in life when commanded by God he never hesitated to do what was ordered, even leading the charge against enemies from the front.
Ester was prepared to die when told to intercede for her people.
Daniel had to face the lion’s in the den because of his obedience.
Each leader mentioned was being led, not one of them, no matter his position, considered himself at the top. David, the king of Israel called out to God:
therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. (Ps.31:3)
The leader needed ‘leading’. The one at the head of the nation needed guidance, he was not above receiving instruction and, at times even a reprimand and punishment, but that is what obedience is all about, doing as instructed:
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? (2Sam. 12:7-9)
God is not averse to warning and chastising His appointed leaders. Leaders must be wary that pride and arrogance do not undermine their achievements, and that fleshly desires do not nullify all they have done:
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. (Ezek.34:1-4)
All leaders are shepherds, guiding and nurturing those following them, and here God is reminding leaders of the things they have forgotten, the things they have done wrong, and telling them that they must mend their ways or they will suffer the consequences.
Leaders are expected to accept the criticism and rectify their wrongs. We are human and that means we err, we make mistakes, we forget and sometimes we hurt others, and we need to be told where we have gone wrong.
As a leader you are very much the shepherd, the one who guides, helps, fetches, strengthens, heals and carries, and sometimes it all gets too much and mistakes are made. Do not ignore constructive criticism, use it to improve your leadership skills, use it to hone your abilities, to avoid future mistakes. Criticism can be just as useful as encouragement. David is a good example of a leader, an obedient leader who constantly erred – yet whenever the error was brought to his attention he would immediately respond and correct it. He never made the same mistake twice – David accepted criticism and used it to grow. Leadership is guidance, it is being guided and guiding others, helping them see the possibilities that will help and strengthen the team, helping others to achieve their full potential for the benefit of the organization.
Throughout the Bible we see God using people’s attributes and character in a positive way.
The determination of Abraham, the fighting skills of David, the wisdom of Solomon, the love of Ester, the brusque and direct style of Peter, the resilience of Paul.
Each has qualifications which defined their leadership, but each achieved so much more than these characteristics would have otherwise allowed had they gone out on their own, because as leaders, each was also willing to learn. Each was prepared to place himself in another’s hands in order to acquire the necessary skills.
David had to learn to fight, first against lion and bear and no doubt, on occasion, with his older brothers, before he could kill Goliath. Peter spent three years with Jesus before he became leader of the New Testament church. Paul had studied under Gamaliel and acquired a good knowledge of the Old Testament before he was called on the road to Damascus to expound them as the prophetic announcement of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Moses grew up in the court of Pharaoh, before fleeing to the wilderness after he had murdered an Egyptian. His upbringing gave him the necessary qualifications to approach Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites. No slave, Israelite or otherwise, would have been allowed to approach the ‘god-king’ and no one other than an Israelite would have been able to lead God’s chosen people out of Egypt. Moses was uniquely qualified for his role. He knew the ways of court, through his foster mother, Pharaoh’s daughter, and he knew the ways of the wilderness, having spent forty years there tending Jethro’s sheep, and he knew the ways of God, through his natural mother who nurtured him as a baby and ensured that he knew the history and beliefs of his people, but it took eighty years for him to bring all this learning together.
Obedience, responsibility and knowledge are all necessary attributes for a great leader. Knowledge must not be confused with wisdom. Knowledge comes by learning, and wisdom is using that knowledge well, applying it for the benefit of all.
Solomon disregarded all the other things that made him a leader – wealth, power and status were not enough for him to be a good leader. Knowledge and learning were not enough, being the son of David, was not enough. When asked what he desired above all else to lead, Solomon replied:
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? (1Kings. 3:9)
In his Proverbs, Solomon reminds us:
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. (Prov. 4:7)
Solomon, desired wisdom and it was given him, that same wisdom is available to all of us.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James.1:5)
There is one more trait, one more element that makes godly leaders stand out:
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love never faileth:…(1Cor.13:1-8)
Paul, the greatest of the early church leaders, numbered all his attributes and abilities including his knowledge of the scriptures, his perseverance, the sacrifices he had to make, his willingness to work for Jesus under any circumstance, and he considered them as nothing without love. Take a look at leaders today, especially those that endure, those who have a growing following, a following that stays with them, and you will no doubt see empathy and love in them. Moses cried for his people. David cried for his people. Jeremiah cried for his people, Nehemiah cried for his people. It may be necessary for you to cry for your people.
As a leader, underline all your dealings with love, even when you need to deal in strength do it with love for ‘love conquers all’.
All the great biblical leaders had specific attributes which they used to enhance and strengthen their leadership abilities. These were not what made them leaders but they did help in forming their legacy. You have talents, use them wisely and they will bring rewards.